This Is Going To Be A Long Year
by darkpoet14
Summary: It is the gang's fifth year at Hogwarts. Draco has been selected as a prefect and isn't looking forward to it for several reasons...Rated "R" for language and other content in later chapters.
1. Summer Changes

Hello people! I'm going to give this a shot so please r/r and tell me what you think!  
  
It was a warm and sunny day outside of the Granger house. Hermione sat up in bed and stretched before stepping onto the cold hardwood floors. She quickly got dressed and headed downstairs where she found that her parents were already awake.  
"Good morning dear." Hermione's father said as he set a plate of food down in front of her.  
"Morning daddy," she replied.  
"Are you still planing to go out today?" Mrs. Granger asked. Hermione nodded in response. "Well then, where are you going?"  
"Well I'm going to Diagon Alley and then to the mall."  
"Are you planning on getting anything other than new clothes?" her father asked suspiciously.  
"I was planning on going to the salon," she said. "And to get my ears pierced..." she added as an afterthought. She sat staring at her parents who she saw exchange glances. Finally with a sigh her mother replied.  
"Alright honey we don't mind of you get your ears pierced but only once per ear ok?" her mother asked.  
"Ok." Hermione replied with a mischevious glint in her eye. She quickly finished her breakfast and ran out the door shouting, "I love you guys! See you later!" She ran as fast as she could down the street in the direction of the mall. Once she got there she stopped outside of the door and walked in a small circle holding her side trying to get rid of the stitch in it. After a few minutes she went inside and began to look around. She went into her favorite store first and grabbed some clothes. After trying all of the clothes and putting back what she didn't want she walked up to the lady behind the counter and said, "I'm ready to pay for my things."  
After she left the store she very nervously walked over to the body piercing place that was called Needle Point. When she walked in a lady standing behind the counter greeted her with a smile. "What can I do for you today?" she asked.  
"Hi. I need to get both of my ears pierced and I'd also like to get my belly-button pierced."  
"Ok. Mark should be out here in just a moment. He's finishing up with a customer." Hermione sat down in a chair by the entrance and waited anxiously.  
* * *  
After she finished in Needle Point she headed for the salon. About an hour later she walked back out with her hair haning straight down to about half-way down her back. She was also very happy because she had done something she had always wanted to do. She had gotten her hair dyed black.  
After she was finished in the mall she headed for Diagon Alley where she bought all of her schol stuff and then went home. Once there she rushed to her room to hide the clothes that she had bought and then went back downstairs for dinner.  
"Hi mom," she said as she walked into the kitchen.  
"Oh Hermione! I love what you did to your hair!" her mother exclaimed. Hermione let out a sigh of great relief when she heard this and again when she heard the same from her father.  
  
(A/N: Now please if you like this R&R) 


	2. Prefects and Poetic Dreams

Here's more and thanks for the reviews. Sorry that the last chapter was so short but oh well...  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing. (This goes for all of the chapters.)  
  
"Do you really like my hair?" Hermione asked her father.  
"Yeah it's great! Can I see your ears?" he asked. She moved her hair back to show him her ears, he smiled and said, "I really like the earrings that you picked out."  
"I do too," her mother commented as she walked up beside her daughter.  
"I'm tired and I'd really like to go to bed. Good night." She walked slowly up the stairs, yawning. When she entered her room at the top of the stairs she saw that there was a large black owl sitting on her bed. She took the note that it clutched in it's beak and read it aloud:  
  
"Dear Miss. Granger, We are proud to inform you that this year you have been selected as a Gryffindor prefect. The other is Neville Longbottom. From Huffelpuff there is Justin Finch-Fletchly, and Thessi Stalt (This character I created). From Ravenclaw there is Zach Hasley (Mine), and Padma Patil. From Slytherin there is Millicent Bullstrode, and..."  
  
She dropped the letter as she read the last name...Draco Malfoy. Her heart had leaped as she read the beginning of the letter. As she started to read off the names however her heart plummeted greatly. I wonder what Malfoy's father had to do or who he had to threaten to gain his son the position of prefect? Hermione asked herself. She picked up the letter and finished reading through it. "Damn it!" she said quietly to herself when she read that all of the prefects were to ride in a compartment of their own.  
She put the letter down on her bedside table and packed her things in her trunk and then got ready for bed. Just as she was about to lay down she heard a soft knock on her bed. "Hermione dear?" her mother asked through the door.  
"Yes mom?"  
"Good you're still awake. I just got this owl with a note from the school to you. I didn't read it but wanted to go ahead and give it to you so that you could read it tonight." She handed the note to her daughter who eagerly ripped it open and read it aloud:  
  
Dear Miss Granger,  
  
This note is to inform you that an item was left oof of your list of needed items. We will be having four balls this year. You do not have to have dress robes but we do request that you have some suitable muggle clothes at least. We will be having a ball for: Halloween, Christmas, Valentines Day, and a ball celebrating the end of exams. Please as I have requested previously bring the proper muggle attire. The prefects will be working together to arrange the many aspects of these balls. There is also a special surprise that Dumbledore shall tell the prefects and Head Boy and Girl about on the train.  
  
Sincerely,  
Minerva McGonagall  
Minerva McGonagall  
  
"Well that sounds nice." Hermione's mother said after her daughter finished reading the letter. "Do you have the clothes for thoes occassions?"  
"Yeah I've got the clothes." Hermione said thinking of the clothes that she had bought earlier. She didn't tell her mother about them though because she knew that her mother and father would completely disapprove with the clothes that she bought. As she sat there she absentmindedly tugged her shirt down a little farther in hopes that her mother wouldn't see her bellybutton ring.  
"Well then good night dear." Her mother walked out of the room shutting the door silently behind her. Hermione rolled over and turned off the light and fell to sleep thinking of what the "special surprise" could be.  
  
Hermione was standing on a stage staring out at a large group of people that she couldn't see the faces of. She began to recite a poem that she had never heard of before:  
  
"Why does the wind call for me,  
When so many others were there?  
Why did the wind choose me,  
When there were so many others that care?  
  
Why does the wind call for me?  
This I cannot understand.  
Why did the wind choose me,  
To take it's place over the land?  
  
Why does the wind call for me?  
Please help me discover why.  
Why did the wind choose me,  
To be the one to fly?"  
  
As she finished the hall erupted with applause. She smiled around at them all with the biggest smile she had ever given.  
  
Hermione sat up in bed with a trace of a smile still on her face. She hurridly got out of bed and wrote the poem down in one of her many notebooks that she gad filled with poetry that no one knew of for the past five years.  
  
(A/N: Thanks again to all of my reviewers! Sorry if this chapter is a little short but I tried to make it longer than my last chapter. The only thing in this chapter that I own is the poem. That I wrote myself and am very fond of it. I hope you like it! I love writing poetry and sharing it with other people so I may put some of my other poems in later! If you like this story please r&r!!! Thanks!) 


	3. On the Train

Hey people! I'm back with chapter three! Thanks to all of my reviewers! I'll try and make this chapter a little longer...  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing. (And any names or poems or something like that, that are of my own creation I'll tell you about in parethesis.)  
  
The next morning Hermione woke with a start at the sound of her screaming alarm clock. She hurridly got out of bed and got dressed in a t- shirt that stopped just above her bellybutton and a pair of hiphuggers. She then slipped a baggy pair of jeans over the hiphuggers and a shirt that covered her other t-shirt before heading down the stairs. 'I really hope that they don't see my other clothes.' Hermione thought to herself.  
  
"Good morning dear." Hermione's father said smiling at his daughter over the top of his news paper.  
  
"Good morning Dad." Hermione returned. She then asked, "Who's going to take me to the station today?" Without looking at her her father raised his hand over the top of of his paper to show her that it was him. She smiled to herself and sat down at the table. She grabbed a piece of toast and butered it lightly. As soon as she finished eating her father helped her load her stuff into the car and then drove har to the train station. After piling her stuff onto a trolley she bid her father farewell and walked into the train station. After stepping into a reatroom she removed her over clothes and walked over to the barrier that lead to platform 9 3/4. She quickly slipped through it unnoticed and headed over to the train. She glanced around to see if she saw anyone that she recognized and when she saw a pile of black hair amongst a tangle of red she smiled and walked over to the group.  
  
"Hey guys!" she exclaimed as she walked up to the group. Fred, George, Ron, Ginny, and Harry all looked up at her.  
"I'm sorry do we know you?" Harry asked.  
  
Hermione slapped him on the arm and said, "It's me lame-brain!"  
  
"Her-Hermione?" Ginny asked shocked. Hermione smiled and nodded at the now gaping group of people. "What happened to you?" Ginny asked still in shock.  
  
"Let's just say I had a nice summer." Hermione joked. "So how have all of you been?" However before anyone coul answer the train blasted it's whistle and they all headed to board the train. "I'll see you guys later." Hermione called as she turned in the opposite direction of her friends to go up to the prefects compartment. She slid the door open and saw that there was already a person sitting in a seat staring out at all of the people now boarding the train.  
  
"Hi." Hermione said to the black haired boy.  
  
"Oh hi." he said with enthusiasum as he turned when Hermione spoke. "I'm Zach Hasley. Who are you?"  
  
"I'm Hermione Granger." she replied. "Which house are you from again?"  
  
"Ravenclaw." he stated proudly. "Your from Gryffindor aren't you?" Hermione nodded. She then turned around as she heard the compartment door slide open; and who should be standing there but Draco Malfoy. He stood staring at her with his intense blue-grey eyes. He was wearing a pair of faded jeans and a t-shirt that said, "Reality bites...I've got the teeth marks to prove it." in big bold letters.  
  
"Hey Zach." Draco said to the boy that was sitting down. "And you would be...?" he asked Hermione.  
  
"Who the hell do you think...Malfoy." she said trying to be as insulting as possible. Draco stared at her for moment before,  
  
"Granger?!" Hermione nodded and started to laugh at the face he was making. After a few moments he sat down as did she and after that the rest of the prefects came into the compartment. Neville waved his hello to Hermione as Professor McGonagall walked into the compartment.  
  
"To start off I would like to say congratulations to you all. It is a great honor to be deemed a prefect and you all should be proud of your accomplishments. I assume you all got your second letters about the balls that we are going to be holding this year?" She lloked around at the small crowd of students who all nodded at her. "Good. Well the last bit of business I have to tell you about is the Special Surprise. This year at Hogwarts Dumbledore has decided that there will be a school play. Now being prefects as you all are you are all required to either audition for a role or sign up to help out backstage. Any questions?" Hermione raised her hand. "Yes Miss Granger?"  
  
"What is the play that we are doing?"  
  
"It is a play made off of a muggle book called, 'Ella Enchanted' by Gail Carson Levine. Well enjoy your trip and I will see you all at the doors to the Great Hall after supper to show you all to your common room." She nodded to them and left.  
  
"Have any of you ever heard of that book?" Zach asked.  
  
"I've readit." Hermione said. "It's not that bad actually. Well you guys might disapprove of it considering that it's an adaptation of 'Cinderella' and there is a bit of romance...especially towards the end." They all sat in silence for a few moments before there was a light knocking on the compartment door. Draco stood and opened the door. Lavender Brown stood on the other side of the door smiling.  
  
She stepped through the door and asked, "Does anyone want to play Truth or Dare? All of the fifth years are playing it in the next compartment down if you want to play. As she left all of the prefects trailed after her and walked into an obviously magically widened compartment where all of the fifth years were sitting.  
  
They all sat down and Parvati started talking, "Ok there are only a few rules: 1.None of the dares can include the teachers. 2. All dares must be carried out or whoever refused to do the dare has to do any consequence that the rest of us comes up with. Also we have a closet in case you need it. Now since this was my idea I think I should go first..." She stared around at all of the people before saying, "So Hermione...Truth or Dare?"  
  
(A/N: If you want ot find out what happenes you'll have to review. (Aren't I evil!) Please review! If you do I'll put up the next chapter!) 


	4. Kisses And The Sorting Hat

(A/N: Here is the next chapter! I know I left the last one off at a bit of a cliffy but that is what I do best so expect more that end that way. Thanks to all of my reviewers! You guys (or gals) are the best! Btw after this chapter it will be a while before the next chapter is posted because I am going to my dad's for a week and then I am going to my cousin's so please r&r and I'll write and post asap!)  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing!  
  
Hermione thought it over for a second before saying, "What do you think I am? A chicken? Dare." Parvati looked very pleased when Hermione said this.  
  
"Alright then Hermione...I dare you to kiss the three guys in here that you want to go out with. Even if you don't want to go out with ant of the guys in here just pick the three that you like the most." Parvati said witha look of smug satisfaction on her face.  
  
"Damn you Parvati." Hermione thought to herself as she stood and walked over to the first guy that she had to kiss. She really didn't want to kiss anyone in the compartment but she was determinded to prove that she wasn't a chicken.  
  
The first guy that she walked over to was of course Ron. She bent down but just before she kissed him she turned to Parvati and asked, "Lips or cheek?"  
  
"What do you think?" Parvati returned grinning evily. Hermione sighed and leaned down and kissed a very surprised looking Ron on the lips. She then stood and walked over to Harry and kissed him the same way she did Ron. Though somewhat surprisingly Harry didn't look surprised at all that Hermione had chosen him as one of the three boys that she had to kiss. Then the thrid and final boy that she walked up to was...Malfoy.  
  
There were several small gasps from people around the room and Harry and Ron were shocked speechless. Malfoy did not object to the kiss but instead leaned into it. "Wow." was all that Hermione could think as one of his hands caressed the back of her neck. When the two pulled away Hermione walked back to where she had been sitting and stared around the room at all of the surprised faces.  
  
"Is it my turn to ask now?" Hermione asked Parvati in the most poisonously innocent voice that she could.  
  
* * *  
  
"Why in the hell did you kiss Malfoy?" Harry asked his friend as they stepped off of the train. Hermione simply shrugged. Ron was still in shock that she had kissed him and also from the fact that he had just seen his best frien kiss Malfoy. "I mean I can understand that you would choose me and Ron seeing as we are your best friends and all but...MALFOY?"  
  
"Oh shut your howling screamer." (For all Treasure Planet fans.) Hermione said to him looking like she wanted to slap him. "I don't know why I chose to kiss him I guess it was just that he was the first one that I saw so I went for it. Then again I also half expected him to act all disgusted and not let me kiss him."  
  
"Well from my angle he sure as hell didn't look disgusted!" Harry shouted at her.  
  
"Whatever!" Hermione shouted back and went to look for the prefects carriage. When she found it she climbed in and sat down in the seat across from one of the Huffelpuff prefects Thessi Stalt. She simply stared out of the small window until she heard the remaining prefects climb into the carriage. She tried her hardest now to look over at Malfoy as the carriage started to move from the station down the road to the school.  
  
Once the carriage stopped she climbed out and walked into the Entrance Hall where she looked around for a place to stand and wait for Ginny.  
  
She stood not far from the entrance and waited. When she saw Ginny she walked up to her and asked, "Hey Ginny do you mind if I sit with you at dinner?"  
  
"Sure." Ginny replied. Why aren't you going to sit with Ron and Harry.  
  
"Because they're both idiots," was Hermione's only reply.  
  
"Well I've been trying to tell you that for years," said a voice from behind her. When Hermione turned to see who had talked she saw Malfoy standing there with a half grin on his face.  
  
"What do you want Mafoy?" Ginny asked. Draco shrugged and walked on into the Great Hall. Ginny looked at Hermione and asked, "I wonder what that was about?"  
  
"I don't know nor do I care." Hermione sighed as she and Ginny walked into the Great Hall so that they could sit and wait for the sorting and then the feast.  
  
Shortly after they sat down Professor Flitwick set out the sorting hat and a stool just before the crowd of new first years walked through the doors. Everyone was silent for a few seconds before the hat began to talk:  
  
"I welcome all of the new people that stand here before me,  
I am very happy to be the one to sort thee.  
The four houses I shall now describe for you,  
Then I will sort you into the houses that you belong to.  
First there is Gryffindor house,  
Where dwell the bravest of us all,  
No matter what the predicament,  
Gryffindors always stand brave and tall.  
Next there is Huffelpuff,  
Where reside the truest I ever met.  
If I should put you there,  
You'll find ther truest friends I bet.  
And now we come to Ravenclaw,  
The most intellegent of the lot.  
Any facts tought to them,  
Will not be soon forgot.  
And last we have Slytherin house,  
You cunning ones will fit in well.  
If I should put you in that house,  
You'll love it; I can tell.  
For I am the great sorting hat,  
And I've yet to be wrong in my many years.  
So step up and put me on, And I'll tell you where you shall reside for the years that you are here."  
  
There was silence for the slightest second before the Hall erupted in cheers.  
  
(A/N: I decided to be nice and not leave this chapter in a cliffy because it will be a while before I get to write again unless I get to use my dad's computer so...R&R while I am away so that I will want to write more! And thanks again to all of my reviewers! Also I know that my sorting hat song was nothing compared to the average song in the books but I came up with this the other night and decided that I would throw it in! I hope you liked it!) 


	5. Common Rooms and New Bedroms

Thanks to all of my reviewers! Here is the fifth chapter of this story! Hope you like it!  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing!  
  
Professor McGonagall stood at the top of the hall holding a scrool of parchment and started to read off names. As soon as she finished she took the hat and the stool and walked off to the side of the hall, out of sight. Dumbledore stood up with his arms out stretched and smiled at everyone in the room.  
  
"Welcome back to all of you!" he said. "I have one announcement to make before you eat and I will give you more details on it once you have all eaten your fill." The Headmaster cleared his throat and began, "This year at Hogwarts we shall be having a school play. It shall be based on the Muggle book 'Ella Enchanted'. Now as I said I will elaborate after the feast so tuck in!"  
  
As soon as he finished the plates along the tables filled with foods of a large assortment. Everyone began to serve out their food and chat happily and excitedly about the announcement that Dumbledore had made.  
  
"This is going to be so awsome!" Ginny said as she put some mashed potatoes onto her plate.  
  
"It does sound like fun." Hermione admitted. "The prefects were told about this on the train but even we wern't told much about it. I did hear McGonagall say that all of the prefects and the Head Boy and Girl have to try out for a part or help back stage in some way."  
  
"What are you going to do?" Ginny asked her friend.  
  
"I'm definately going to try out. I love theatre acting and I love the book that the play is based on. It is one of my favorite books. I hope I'll be good enough to get a good part."  
  
"I'm sure that you wil be," a girl called Jamie said to her. Hermione thanked Ginny's friend and went to eating. Several times she caught her gaze wandering towards Ron and Harry but quickly pulled her attention back to what she was eating.  
  
Once the feast was over Dumbledore stood up again and silence settled quickly over the room.  
  
"Now I am sure that you all have many questions about this play so if I don't answer all of your questions you can ask either me or any of the school prefects. Auditions for the play will be on the twenty-first of this month. If you are interrested in trying out talk to your head of house and they will give you the lines to memorize. I and a few other teachers shall sit and watch all of you try out and will decide who shall play each part. I will post the list of who will be playing whom on the twenty-third. Now that that is done I need to have a brief meeting with the prefects. The rest of you will be led to your houses by your head of house."  
  
Dumbledore stood and walked out of the Greta Hall and was followed by all of the prefects so that they could have their meeting. About twenty minutes later they were dismissed and McGonagall, who had been waiting on them outside of the door, showed them to their common room.  
  
When they all stepped into their common roon they were all blown away by the size and appearance of it. The room was huge and had a large domed ceiling that was adorned with the Hogwarts Crest. There were nine doors that spread along the walls, eight of which had a name on it. They all found their rooms and entered.  
  
Hermione was shocked when she entered her room to see that it was just a large empty space.  
  
"What the..?" she mumbled to herself. As soon as she set her things down on the floor a small podium rose out of the floor in the center of the room. She cautiously walked over to it and read over the single piece of parchment that rested on it:  
  
"Miss Granger,  
  
I would like to welcome you to your room. This year we have decided to do something a little bit different. If you look in the drawer in the bottom of this podium you shall find a book full of pictures of room styles. Once you pick the one that you want simply place your wand tip to it and say 'Builidio' and the style shall become your room. Once the style is up you can place your wand tip onto different aspects of your new room and say the color that you want it to be and the color shall appear. If you have any questions just come to my office and ask me. The password is 'Canary Cremes'.  
  
Signed,  
Albus Dumbledore"  
  
Hermione grinned to herself as she read over the password. Once she had finished reading the note she retrived the book from the drawer in the podium and set to finding her new room.  
  
(A/N: Ok I know that the chapter is a little short but I tried not to make it too short. I hope that you like it enough to r&r! I'll write some more and get it uploaded before long. If I get enough reviews...!) 


	6. Unbelieveable Schedules

Thanks reviewers! Sorry that it has taken me so long but I have been depressed since I got to my dad's because I found out that he had to put his dog to sleep. I am a little happier now so I'll post more.  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing!  
  
It took Hermione a total of three hours to get her room perfect to how she wanted it. Once she had finally finished she set her wand down on her bedside table and she walked out into the common room to see if anyone else was there.  
  
She didn't see anybody so she began to walk around the common room to get a better look at it. As she passed by a bookshelf that was four times as high as she was tall she heard a voice behind her.  
  
"Well I'm sure you're happy with all of thoes books to keep you company Granger." She spun a heel and saw none other than Draco Malfoy leaning against the frame of his door.  
  
"Shut it Malfoy." Hermione said to him with a dangerous tone of voice.  
  
"Or you'll what Granger?" Malfoy said, sounding very sure of himself. Hermione crossed her arms over her chest and stared pointedly at him.  
  
"You don't want to know Malfoy...trust me, you don't." With this said she walked past him without so much as a glance at him. She walked back into her room and settled down onto her new bed, sighing deeply.  
  
I am so fucking tired of people always going, "Oh there goes Hermione Granger. AKA Little Miss Bookworm who knows everything. Hermione thought to herself. She curled up under her warm thick blanket and drifted off into a restless sleep, the thought still lingering in the back of her mind.  
  
* * *  
  
The next morning dawned dark and rainy as Hermione slid out of bed. She quickly dressed and walked down to the Great Hall for breakfast. However as soon as she was about to take her first bite of toast the mail arrived and a large tawny owl landed in front of her plate.  
  
She untied the message and read the one line quickly:  
  
"See Dumbeldore for you schedule and some additional information."  
  
I wonder what this is about? Hermione thought. She grabbed her things and went up to the head table. She went straight up to Dumbeldore and opened her mouth to speak but he raised a hand and spoke before she got the chance.  
  
"Miss Granger I will meet you and the other prefects in the room off to your right in just a few moments if you will go get them for me." She nodded and turned around, but saw that there was no need to go get anyone because all of the prefects were walking up to the head table.  
  
Once they all arrived at the head table Hermione said, "Follow me." She turned and walked through the door to her right, with all of the prefects at her heels.  
  
"What are we doing in here Granger?" Malfoy asked from behind her.  
  
Withoput even turning or stopping in her walking she responded, "Dumbeldore told me to bring all of you in here for a brief meeting about our schedules and the notes that we all got."  
  
They all stood in silence for nearly ten minutes before Dumbeldore entered. "Hello everyone," he said to the room with a smile. "I trust that you all slept well in your new rooms?"  
  
He glanced around at the nodding group before continuing, "By the way, about your schedules they are sitting on the table over there. However, this year we are going to try something a little different. This year the prefects will have all of their classes together. Or in other words you eight will have all of your classes where only you eight are the students."  
  
"Wait. You mean just the eight of us are going to be in all of our classes?" Malfoy asked in shock. Dumbeldore nodded.  
  
"Yes Mr Malfoy. In all of you main classes at least. Additional classes there will be only the ones of you that are supposed to be there. For instance, in Muggle studies and Arithmancy there will only be you and Miss Granger. Now I do believe that you all should be leaving for your first classes so good luck on your first day back!"  
  
He nodded at the group and left them all standing in disbelief around the room.  
  
(A/N: I know, I know yet another short chapter. But I did try not to make it too short! R&R! Please!) 


	7. First Day Of Classes

Thanks to all of my great reviewers! I must have done a really bad job on that last chapter because I did get reviews but they were really spread out and stuff so I promise I will try to make this one much, much, much better! Here goes...  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing!  
  
Hermione stepped through the door to the classroom in which she would have her first class of the year: Potions. Goodie, Hermione thought to herself. I just happened to be lucky enough to have Snape first thing in the morning. I wonder how it was possible that I got such an honor?  
  
She looked around the room and immediately noticed how it looked now as compared to how it looked before. There were four large double tables that sat around the room with two chairs behind each. She sat down at one and waited for the others to arrive.  
  
Once everyone had taken their seats Snape walked into the room and looked around at all of them. "Well, well, well," he said. "These seats certainly won't do so pack up your things and I will tell you where you will be sitting for the rest of the year." They all put their things back in their bags and sat waiting for Snape to drop the bomb about their new seats.  
  
He began to walk slowly around the room, when he reached a table he placed his hand on it and said, "Miss Bulstrode and Mr Finch-Fletchly." He then walked around to the other three tables and did the same. By the time that he finished the pairs at the tables were: Bulstrode and Finch- Fletchly, Stalt and Longbottom, Hasley and Patil, and of course Granger and Malfoy.  
  
"Now that is much better isn't it?" he asked with a sneer. He then walked over to the chalkboard and began to scribble down the ingredients for the potion that they would be making during class. After he finished they all set to work chopping, mixing, measuring, and pouring.  
  
Hermione was trying her hardest not to say anything to Malfoy; she really didn't want to start anything between the two of them on the first day, during the first class of the year.  
  
"You over measured your hissing cockroach legs." Draco said leaning over toward Hermione.  
  
"What?" she asked him. "I didn't quite hear you Malfoy."  
  
"I said that you over measured your hissing cockroach legs Granger." She looked at him with a very questioning look on her face.  
  
"And why may I ask were you watching me close enough to tell that I over measured something?" she inquired with a cocked eyebrow.  
  
"Well it was just the fact that you were using my equipment, whether intentionally or not I don't know, but you were still using my stuff."  
  
"Oh," Hermione said as she realized that his words were true. "Sorry about that." She handed all of the stuff she had used in her measuring back to their owner and then went back to working on her potion.  
  
About twenty minutes later she realized that what Malfoy had said to her was truthful. Her potion which should have been a shimmering black was a dull gray. Snape of course had basically a field day over this.  
  
"I cannot believe that little Miss Prefect Granger messed up a potion and a rather simple one at that! I do believe that I shall have to assign her extra work so that she com try and fix whatever her problem was today." By the time Hermione left she had a three-foot essay to be turned in the day after tomorrow.  
  
As she walked out of the dark and cold dungeons she pulled out her schedule and looked to see what her next class was. "Shit," she muttered to herself when she saw that she had Muggle Studies next. She thrust her schedule back into her bag and began to walk to her next class.  
  
She walked into the classroom and sat down on the right side of the only table that sat in the room. "Hello Miss. Granger." Hermione looked up and saw Professor Grey (A/N: I have not heard the actual name of her muggle studies teacher ever mentioned but if you have please let me know.) smiling at her over the top of a Daily Prophet.  
  
"Hello Professor Grey," she replied. "How are you doing today?"  
  
"Oh I am doing just fine." Professor Grey replied with a large grin. She adjusted her dark hat as Draco stepped through the door. "And how are you doing Mr. Malfoy?" she asked him with another grin.  
  
"Fine," was the only reply that she got from him as he walked across the room and sat down at his seat.  
  
"All right; seeing as today is the first day and something came up over the summer that prevented me from doing any planning for this class today is going to be a free day for you two so that I can plan. As long as you don't get too rowdy or loud I will allow you to do what ever you please." Professor Grey smiled once again at Draco and Hermione. "Oh but I must warn you that I will not let you play wizarding chess today."  
  
"Why is that Hermione asked curiously.  
  
"Well you see Miss. Granger I love the game and I am afraid that if you start playing it I will want to and not get any work done." Professor Grey chuckled a little as she said this.  
  
Hermione pulled out a book and began to read; she also noticed that Draco pulled out a piece of parchment and a piece of black chalk and began to draw. After a while she set the book down and stretched as she yawned widely. When she looked down at te picture that Draco was still working on she gasped when she realized that he was drawing a very lifelike portrait of Professor Grey sitting behind her desk.  
  
In the picture she was leaned over desk writing someting from te looks of it. Hermione glanced up at her teacher and was shocked to see that it was the exact position that she was sitting in.  
  
Draco must have felt her eyes upon him because he looked up at her.  
  
"Can I help you with something Granger?" he asked quietly after a few moments of silence.  
  
"Sorry that I was staring but the picture that you drew is amazing." What am I doing? she questioned herself. Did I really just compliment Malfoy?!  
  
"I got the facial features all wrong," he said as he looked back down at the drawing. Hermione completely disagreed with him in her head but didn't say anything to him.  
  
He looked back up at her after a second and shrugged, "Oh well. It's not like I can draw in the least bit any way."  
  
"Now that isn't true!" Hermione said to him sounding very serious. What in the hell am I saying?! Hermione shouted in her mind.  
  
"You actually think that I can draw?" he asked sounding a little surprised.  
  
"Yes." Hermione replied.  
  
"I'm bored now."  
  
"Why is that?" Hermione asked.  
  
"Because I finished this picture and now I have nothing to draw."  
  
"Sorry I can't help you there Malfoy."  
  
"Oh shut up Granger I wasn't asking for your pathetic advice." Hermione rolled her eyes and went back to reading her book. How is it that one minute he can seem so nice and others he is such an ass that you want to slap him?  
  
Finally after about half an hour the bell rang for them to go to lunch. Hermione packed up her book and stood as she slung her bag over her shoulder. Draco was about to walk out of the door when he threw something away. Hermione was about to walk out of the door but stopped when she looked into the trash can at what Draco had thrown away.  
  
A couple of seconds later she walked out of the classroom carrying a piece of parchment with a very lifelike picture of herself reading on it.  
  
(A/N: I must end this chapter here. I did not intend to make this chapter so short but I thought that this would be the best place to leave this off. I didn't reallt like this chapter as much as a few of the others but oh well. Please r&r! Btw if any of this sounds cheesy and romantic I can't really help that. I have been having a lot of problems with this one guy that I used to be really serious with lately...I am sorry. I realize that most of you don't care about my problems so I will just shut up and start thinking about what to put in the next chapter. Later!) 


	8. Auditions and Announcements

(Heres more!)  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing! (In this chapter there will be some lines from a book called Ella Enchanted and I don't own any of that book either.)Btw there is a poem in here later, I did write that and I ask that you please don't take it. It is the prologue to the book that I am working on.  
  
Hermione carefully put the picture in her bag just before she walked into the Great Hall. As she walked down the isle in between the Gryffindor table and the wall she heard Dumbledore call for all of the prefects to meet him before they ate in the room that they had met in on the first day.  
  
Hermione told her friends to save her a seat as she walked by them and on into the room. Dumbledore was already waiting in the room when the prefects walked into the small room. "Alright is everyone here?" he asked. Once he knew that everyone was present he continued, "I just wanted to tell you all before I told the rest of the school that I have decided to push up the date of the auditions to a week from today."  
  
"Why is that?" Padama asked him.  
  
"Well something came up with one of the teachers who will be helping with the auditions and it was decided yesterday that a week from today would be the best date for it so I will see you all there." Dumbledore smiled at them all before he stepped out of the room and into the Great Hall.  
  
* * *  
  
The week before auditions seemed to pass about as fast as a hundred meter dash between two slugs. When finally the day arrived everyone in the school was given half of the day off so there were no classes after lunch. Hermione spent every moment that she could trying to learn her lines.  
  
When finally it was time for the auditions she walked out of her room and all the way down to the Great Hall still reciting her lines in her head. As she walked into the hall she looked around at the massive change that had taken place since lunch. There were chairs sitting around everywhere and there was a raised platform at the head of the hall. The room was arranged like a giant auditorium. She took a seat and waited for everything to start.  
  
Professor McGonagall stepped up onto the platform and began to speak, "Everyone if I may have your attention, we will begin the auditions with the oldest years and work our way down the list." She called up people from seventh year, then sixth, and then finally she reached fifth years. "Hermione Granger and Harry Potter," she called. (She is calling them up in pairs for those that need partners for their scenes and is not calling in alphabetical order.)  
  
"Alright Miss Granger," tiny little Professor Flitwick said. "What part are you trying out for?"  
  
"I am trying for the part of Ella."  
  
"And what piece from the play will you be reading for us?"  
  
"I will be reading the part where she runs into the Prince after she has run away from finishing school."  
  
"And that is the part that you are trying out for is it not Mr Potter?" Harry nodded in response.  
  
"Begin when you are ready."  
  
Hermione stood directly in front of Harry as he spoke his first lines, "How did the ogres come upon you?"  
  
"I ran away from finishing school and stayed with the elves for a while. They caught me when I left them. They ate the pony that the elves gave me."  
  
"Was finishing school so wearisome that you had to run away?"  
  
"Very wearisome, and see what it's done to me. I can no longer break a set of dishes by accident. Now I can balance them all on my head and stroll around all of Frell without dropping a single one. I have many accomplishments."  
  
"That is enough." Professor Flitwick said to them. The two of them started to walk off of the platform when Professor Flitwick said something else, "Miss Granger?"  
  
"Yes Professor?" she replied.  
  
"I hear that you do poetry?" Hermione nodded slightly surprised. "I was wondering if you would recite a poem for us if you could...as part of your audition?"  
  
"Sure Professor," she said to him. She walked back to the middle of the stage and thought about which poem to recite. When she had decided she cleared her throat and began to recite her most recent piece,  
  
"Like a cloaking shadow,  
Evil spreads across the land.  
Covering everything,  
Down to the last grain of sand.  
  
Once the darkness falls,  
It can never be lifted.  
Then again there is always the exception,  
Of the one who is gifted.  
  
The gifted one alone,  
Can save us from this nightmare.  
The gifted on alone,  
Possessing the sightless stare.  
  
The gifted one alone,  
Standing as a crystal in a granite quarry.  
The terror ever deepening,  
Forming the plot of a story."  
  
Hermione smiled to herself as she recited the last lines of her poem. She was slightly surprised when she heard all of the people in the room start to cheer and clap. She had actually forgotten completely that she wasn't the only one in the room.  
  
* * *  
  
"Why didn't you tell us that you wrote poetry?" Ron asked Hermione as they sat down for dinner.  
  
"It just never came up in any conversations," she shrugged. They all started to eat their dinner and chat about the auditions and who they thought would get what parts.  
  
Dumbledore stood and everyone in the room was silent in a second. "I have an announcement to make about the play. I have posted a list of who got what parts in all of the house common rooms." As soon as the words left his lips everyone was on their feet and trying to push their way out the door. "I will see you all tomorrow," he finished with a grin.  
  
Hermione was panting by the time that she had reached the common room and read the list out loud,  
  
"Ella-Hermione Granger  
Areida-Padama Patil  
Char-Draco Malfoy  
Mandy-Cho Chang  
Father-Harry Potter  
Lucinda-Parvati Patil  
Olive-Lavender Brown  
Hattie-Pansy Parkinson  
Mum Olga-Milicent Bulstrode"  
  
(A/N: I hope that you all liked this chapter! For those of you that haven't read the book Ella Enchanted if you have any questions please email me your questions and I will get back to you! Later!) 


	9. Dancing In A Tower

(Thanks for the reviews! Here's a little more!)  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing!  
  
"Damn it!" Hermione said to herself.  
  
"What's wrong Granger? Didn't get the part that you wanted?" came Draco's drawling voice from behind her.  
  
"Actually I did get the part," she retorted. "And from the looks of it you got the part the you wanted as well." Draco looked at her a little confused before he looked at the list for the first time.  
  
"You have got to be kidding me!" he shouted. Hermione rolled her eyes.  
  
"It also says that our first rehearsal is tomorrow," she sighed just before she turned and walked off to her room.  
  
* * *  
  
Hermione walked into a large room that she had never seen before.(I wonder just what room that could be?!lol sorry I am half asleep as I type these very words.) It was very large and spacious, with many chairs, in rows, that spread all the way to the back of the room. Hermione walked down a center isle up to the stage where the rest of the cast sat.  
  
"Hey Padama!" she said as she approached one of her friends.  
  
"Hey Hermione!" she replied. "Congrats on getting the lead roll!"  
  
"Thanks! And congratulations to you on getting the part of Areida! She was always one of my favorite characters in the book."  
  
"She was my favorite, that is why I tried for the part." Padama giggled a little as she said this. She motioned with a finger for Hermione to come closer and when she did the girl whispered in the others ear, "How did you get lucky enough to have Draco get the part of the prince?"  
  
"I am sorry but him getting the part is not something that I would consider 'lucky'." Hermione whispered in reply. Just as Hermione stood back up and tucked her hair behind her ear, Dumledore walked into the room.  
  
He walked down the center isle, just as Hermione had, and smiled at them all as he stepped in front of the group of people. "It is good to see all of you here," he said to them. "Well then lets begin if you all are here."  
  
* * *  
  
"Let's try that scene one more time." Dumbledore said to Hermione and Draco as they stood on the stage. It was their fifth rehersal and they were going nowhere. They were practicing a scene where Ella and Char were strolling down a hallway on the second floor of the castle that Ella's father had just gotten married in.  
  
Hermione nodded to her headmaster and went back to where she was supposed to stand at the beginning of the scene.  
  
"My father spent his boyhood here," Draco began. "before the new palace was built. He says there's a secret passage somewhere. It's rumoured to start in one of the rooms on this story."  
  
"Where does it lead?" Hermione asked him, trying her best to keep from falling over from her tiredness. The long nights that she had spent with her studies and trying to learn her lines were really taking a toll on her.  
  
"Supposedly to a tunnel under the moat. Father used to search for it."  
  
"Shall we look?"  
  
"Would you like to? If you don't mind missing the ball."  
  
"I'd love to miss the ball." Hermione replied with a dull tone. "So what do you think that they used the tunnel for?"  
  
"To warn Frell of danger."  
  
"To escape a mad fairy."  
  
"To flee punishment."  
  
"To leave a boring cotillion."  
  
"That must be the reason," Draco replied with a grin.  
  
I wish that he wasn't so damn good at this, Hermione thought to herself as she looked into his eyes. You really know that a person is a good actor when they can get the eyes right. "You've guessed why I shut myself up here."  
  
"I have no idea."  
  
"To avoid temptation," she replied with a sort of grin/half-smile.  
  
"What temptation?" A grin spread across Draco's face.  
  
"The temptation to slide down the stair rail of course."  
  
Draco's laughter rang through the empty space of the room. "And why were you lying down?" he asked, laughter still in his eyes.  
  
"Actually I was sitting so that I could pretend I was sliding down the stair rail." As the scene prgressed the two got more and more into the moment.  
  
After a short while the two stood inside of a set that was a tower room with a stone bench. Draco kneeled down by the bench, "This lifts off." He lifted off the top and set it aside. He reached down inside of the bench and pulled out a pair of glass slippers. "Try them on," he told her.  
  
Hermione took the shoes and slipped them on. "A perfect fit," she said. She stood and began to dance.  
  
"A lady should never dance alone." Draco said to her. The two joined arms and began to dance to the soft music that Dumbledore had conjured up just moments before. As they danced Hermione looked up into Draco's eyes before laying her head down on his shoulder and smiling softly.  
  
(A/N: I will leave this off here and hope that you all liked it! I will write more soon if I get enough reviews!) 


	10. Author's Note

Just to let you all know I realize that it has been forever since I last posted but we have been having massive computer trouble and now we have a new computer but I have none of my old story files and ff.net won't let me copy and paste so that I can have them to work on but I promise that I will do what I can to post again on all of my stories asap! Thanks for staying with me and being patient on this!

-Laura


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